Weed destroyer



March 2s, 195o A, E, YENSEN mL 2,501,925

FEED DESTROYER Filed Nov. 2o, 1945 2 snntalsnm 1 d .ymen

5 1N VENToR y Mardi 23 1950 A. YENsEN ErAL Y 2,501,925

mn nasmom Filed Nov. 2o, 194s y 2 sheets-sheet 2 .Eyzea W waaien 1N V ENTORS.

Patented Mar. 28, 1950 WEED DESTROYER Arthur E. Yensen and WalterYensen, Homedale, Idaho Application November 20, 1945, Serial No.629,890

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to agricultural machines, and more particularlyto machines of the tractor supported type having means for beating andcutting growing weeds to destroy the weeds.

An important object of the invention is to pro' vide a power operateddevice of this character embodying a plurality of swinging beatersrapidly rotated to accomplish the purposefof the invention, the swingingbeaters being adjustably mounted so that they may operate at variousdistances above the ground surface.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which may be readily and easily attached to a tractor, meansbeing provided for taking off power from the tractor to operate therotary beaters.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts, hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tractor equipped with a deviceconstructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an elevational view illustrating the means for adjusting thesupporting frame of the attachment. Figure 3 is a fragmental detail viewpartly in section illustrating the drum and shaft bearing.

Figure 4 is a fragmental perspective view illustrating the manner ofsecuring the chains to the drum.

Figure 5 is a fragmental sectional view through a modified form of drumand operating means.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference character 5 indicatesa tractor to which the frame 6 of the device, is connected.

As shown, the frame 6 embodies tubular. side members 1 and 8 which haveopenings formed at their rear ends, which openings are adapted toaccommodate the securing bolts 9 that also pass through openings in .theears Ill formed on the rear axle housing of the tractor, whereby theframe 6 is pivotally mounted.

.The tubular side bars 'I and 8 are held in proper spaced relation inrespect to each other by means of the transverse member II which isconnected with the side members l and 8 at points adjacen to the forwardends thereof. i

2 forwardly at right-angles providingan arm I2 while the forward end ofthe tubular 'side member 'l extends forwardly beyond the member II, and

then inwardly at I3 towards the arm I2 fromv where it extends rearwardlyat I4 and connects with the transverse member I I. Depending fromtheyarinf, side member 'land rearwardly extended fporfioii I4, Iareidentical beari'ig's I5, in

Mounted on the shaft I6 is a pulley I9 overwhich the belt 20 operates,the belt 20 also operating over the pulley 2| mounted on the powertake-off shaft 22 of the tractor. It might be stated that the rotationof the shaft I6 is in a direction to cause the swinging chains I8 toswing outwardly or rotate in a direction opposite to the direction oftravel of the device,'with the result that the weeds and vegetation willbe cut and broken, and will not be flattened over the ground surface.

-Extendinglaterally from the frame of the tractor 5, is an .arm 23 towhich one end of the curved arm 24 is pivotally connected, the arm 2lihaving an elongated opening 25 in which the bolt 26 is positioned,pivotally connecting the arm 24 to the tubular side member 8. Connectedwith one end of the curved arm 24 is the rod 21 Iwhich has a reduced endcarrying a piston, which operates in the cylinder 28 that is pivotallymounted on the differential housing 29 of the tractor. A pipe 30 leadsto one end of the cylinder and establishes communication between thecylinder and a source of compressed air supply whereby compressed airmay be directed to the cylinder to operate the piston and rod 2l toadjust the frame or attachment, vertically regulating the distancebetween the ends of chains and ground surface over which the machine ismoving.

From 'the foregoing it willbe seen that due to the construction shownand described, we have provided an attachment which maybe readily andeasily mounted on a tractor which will cut and beat growing Weeds todestroy' them.

In the form of the invention as shown by Figure 5 of Vthe drawings, thedrum is indicated by the reference character 3i, and

'One end of the transverse member I I extends 55 as shown embodiesspaced sections, the spaced 3 sections being secured to the drive shaft32 on which are mounted beveled pinions 33 and 3l, the beveled pinion 33being secured to the shaft 32, while the pinion 34 is loosely mounted onthe shaft. Meshing with the pinions 33 and 34 is the power pinion 35that is secured to the inner end of the power shaft 36 with the resultthat rotary movement may be transmitted to the sectional drum 3l bymeans of a power shaft, in'

stead of by the belt and pulley construction shown by Figure 1 of thedrawings. Secured to the frame is a curved guard 31 which is in the formof a plate of a length to extend throughout the length of the drum, andof a width to guard the operator of the tractor against weeds which maybe thrown upwardly by the chains.

The chains are secured to the drum in spiral formation so that as thedrum rotates, the chains will have a sweeping action to cut and beat theweeds with which they contact.

What is claimed is:

A weed destroying attachment for tractors having power take-oil pulleys,comprising a frame embodying side members pivotally connected to therear axle housing of the tractor at opposite sides of the tractor, theforward end of the frame extending beyond the front end of the tractor,a transversely disposed member connecting the side members of the frame,one end of the transversely disposed member being extended forwardly,bearings on the frame and a bearing on said forwardly extended end ofthe transversely disposed member, a horizontal shaft mounted in thebearings and extending across the frame, a drum mounted on the shaft,chains having one of their respective ends secured to the drum, theopposite ends of the chains being free for outward swinging movement tostrike the ground surface, destroying vegetation engaged thereby, apulley secured to one end of the shaft, a belt operating over the powertake-oi! pulley and pulley on the end of said shaft, rotating the shaft,drum and chains, a.curved guard plate secured to the frame and overlyingthe drum and chains throughout the length of the drum. and means foradjusting the forward end of the frame vertically.

ARTHUR E. YENSEN.

WALTER YENSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Wood Mar. 2l, 1944 OTHERI REFERENCES RichmondTimes-Dispatch, June 30, 1944, page 3.

